News

The attached article – text only here – was written by long-time Folk Camper Phoebe Wright and appeared in the Autumn 2017 issue of EDS – the house journal of the EFDSS, with a link to our website at the end. Well done Phoebe, great work!

As part of the Folk Camps Party Band project a promotional demo has been produced primarily for presenting to festival organisers when pitching the band to them.

There are four tunes on the demo: Shephards Hey (traditional English reel), The Sty at Night (newly written English reel), Highway Carpark (Scottish hopstep) and Edwins Jig (English). Instruments are guitars, fiddles, melodian, brass, drums, percussion and bass. Musicians are Andy Glass, Jenny Newman, Chris Jewel, Alfie Glass, Laurie Glass and Aoife Glass. The video was edited and produced by Andy Glass.

The video is intended to add a little Folk Camps atmosphere to the carefully chosen music. See it on the Party Band Page.

Editor Judith Jenkins has just released the new issue of Extent, featuring information on the 2018 season of Folk Camps, updates on our 50th anniversary celebrations, and creative work inspired by Folk Camping experiences, great and small! Download it here.

Printed copies can be supplied from the office for those who don’t use email or web. To request a printed copy please contact the office: info@folkcamps.co.uk

On 9th October, Council was delighted to accept a proposal by Jenny Newman for a project leading to the formation of the Folk Camps Party Band and its running for the next two festival seasons. This exciting multi-ability multi-age band will fit right with our charitable mission and be both promotional and educational. The band will attend key folk festivals to promote the Folk Camps concept through performance and workshops.

The band will be drawn from all parts of the Folk Camps spectrum with an emphasis on youth players. It will play music specifically sourced and arranged to suit its composition and ability and will be professionally rehearsed. The first outing for the newly formed Folk Camps Party Band will be the 50th Anniversary Celebration in Buxton in June 2018.

Here is what Jenny has to say about it:

I am thrilled that Council have decided to promote Folk Camps in this proactive and dynamic way. My vision for the band is to convey the essence of Folk Camps to the wider festival going public. Musical excellence and accessibility for all!

The public will experience first-hand the fun that can be shared across generations and abilities in making distinctive music together that is both musically satisfying and good to dance to.

The participants will, as well as having fun, have a first rate educational experience which will help to develop the skills needed to make great potential folk camp musicians for the future.

The repertoire will be drawn from the English folk tradition as well as other traditions which have been absorbed into the English standard repertoire.

Although the project is huge and obviously challenging in many ways I am confident we have the depth of musicianship necessary to establish Folk Camps as a major contributor to the Folk scene in this country. I am grateful to council for the opportunity to make it happen.

See the dedicated page for the band which will be constantly updated with progress of the project and news about the band.

Our new website is now live. It is mobile-friendly with new content.
We will continue to improve and add content to the site over the next few weeks.
We will also add the 2018 programme of Folk Camps towards the end of October, and you will be able to book your 2018 holidays online from 20th November. Or you can book in person at the Reunion.

If you have any comments on the website, then please email us to let us know.
(Praise, constructive criticism or information on broken links all welcome).

There are still a small number of places available at the 2018 Craft Break. This is our February hotel event, fully catered, no tents(!), lots of craft activities and workshops, and the usual Folk Camps music, song and dance. See the camps page to find out more and to book.